Youth creating media

Hey guys,

   Well, my yoga class got cancelled and I'm not due at work for an hour, so I am going to be a productive individual rather than just aimlessly wandering around San Miguel's lovely streets. I'm currently drinking really really good pineapple juice on Calle Recreo and I'm going to write about the Adobe Youth Voices program, a media and media-literacy program which we'll be implementing this year.

  Adobe Youth Voices is a global program aimed at providing marginalize students with the opportunity to access technology and express themselves through photography and film-making. We received a grant from Adobe to put this program into effect with our secundaria group in La Palma, so the last couple of days we've been training with the software (anyone who knows me knows that even using the word "software" is impressive for me) and brainstorming class activities. The program is great because it's totally youth-centered; media projects are based on local issues which students feel are important to them, and teachers facilitate rather than direct the process of creation. We ask questions to encourage critical thinking and a thorough examination of the issues, and help with technical an logistical problems, but in general the program tries to promote self-direction, collaboration, and creativity. 

  I think this whole thing is pretty awesome. Considering that there are very few computers in these communities, and very few people with computer skills (myself included), having access to digital media-making equipment and programs such as Photoshop and Premiere is a great opportunity for students to develop new technical skills, but also a new and appealing way to learn how to articulately express complex ideas about relevant issues in their communities. 

   We've got to have five projects completed by May, and I'm really looking forward to getting started. Since I'm designing and teaching a music appreciation and vocal music program, I'm hopeful that we can tie all these projects together - for example, by building media literacy through analyzing reggaeton videos, or by creating our own soundtrack to a visual presentation. I've yet to meet the students, but hopefully I'll see them at our registration meeting this weekend. If you're interested in Adobe's program, check out their website for examples of some other youth projects. 

http://youthvoices.adobe.com/

Que estén muy bien,

                        Natalia